Derek's Blue Cub STOL
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:34 am
I can't believe that I don't have a specific thread for my trusty Blue Cub STOL, lol. So, here it is. I built this plane in early 2014. I've got about 50 flights on it and I've only had one "crash" with it and that was on the maiden flight. I've had a few rough landings but nothing that I'd consider a "crash". Here is a pic of the Blue Cub STOL
It's a bit of a rough picture because it's a screen capture from a Youtube video. I don't have any good pics of the plane on my laptop, which I'm on right now.
Anyway, it's been a 6 channel plane which includes the usual 4, throttle, aileron, elevator, and rudder but it also includes flaps and I have a 3 axis flight stabilizer on the GEAR channel which can be turned on and off. Now, I do have a Spektrum AR8000 rx with satellite rx on board because the original idea was to be able to do some light weight aero-towing. That would take up one of the AUX channels.
Like I said above, I've had this plane for over a year now and I never did make up a tow release for the Blue Cub....until tonight, lol. I got the Cub down and began to brainstorm. The initial thought turned into a simple build and was quickly trashed, lol. The second thought went to the trash bin, too because I felt it was "over complicated". The third idea turned out to be quite good and I've kept it. I connected a servo to a bit of an extension and that is connected to the AUX3 channel on the rx because it's activated by a turn dial on my DX8. I felt that the dial would be better to use than an actual switch because I could easily actuate the servo myself. I just felt that it would be easier this way when I am connecting the tow line to the plane. I don't have any pictures of the release mechanism yet but I will get some posted soon.
I also have a $10 foam 'toss glider" that I bought and I have converted to rc with the help of a Spektrum AR600 rx, a simple HK BEC, a very small 3S pack, and 5 HK HXT900 servos. I'll get some pictures and/or and overview video of both planes and the tow releases on both planes soon.
- Blue Cub STOL.png (157.49 KiB) Viewed 2613 times
Anyway, it's been a 6 channel plane which includes the usual 4, throttle, aileron, elevator, and rudder but it also includes flaps and I have a 3 axis flight stabilizer on the GEAR channel which can be turned on and off. Now, I do have a Spektrum AR8000 rx with satellite rx on board because the original idea was to be able to do some light weight aero-towing. That would take up one of the AUX channels.
Like I said above, I've had this plane for over a year now and I never did make up a tow release for the Blue Cub....until tonight, lol. I got the Cub down and began to brainstorm. The initial thought turned into a simple build and was quickly trashed, lol. The second thought went to the trash bin, too because I felt it was "over complicated". The third idea turned out to be quite good and I've kept it. I connected a servo to a bit of an extension and that is connected to the AUX3 channel on the rx because it's activated by a turn dial on my DX8. I felt that the dial would be better to use than an actual switch because I could easily actuate the servo myself. I just felt that it would be easier this way when I am connecting the tow line to the plane. I don't have any pictures of the release mechanism yet but I will get some posted soon.
I also have a $10 foam 'toss glider" that I bought and I have converted to rc with the help of a Spektrum AR600 rx, a simple HK BEC, a very small 3S pack, and 5 HK HXT900 servos. I'll get some pictures and/or and overview video of both planes and the tow releases on both planes soon.